Previews

The Interrogation Room: Prototype 2

Welcome to the Interrogation Room, GameSpy's signature pre-release game coverage format. Here, a GameSpy editor (typically one who's relatively in-the-dark about the game in question) grills his peers for information on a hotly anticipated game -- hopefully with more entertaining results than the typical boilerplate preview would provide.

Eric Neigher, Contributing Editor: I'll just go ahead and give my two cents here: I thought the original Prototype was a really interesting concept, somewhat squandered by poor execution. Now Gus, you've had a chance to see the sequel, and from what I hear, Prototype 2 goes back to the drawing board a bit -- giving us a new hero and a new location, but hopefully the same basic gameplay style. How much of what I hear is true?

Gus Mastrapa, Contributor:Radical Entertainment knows what people liked about the first game: the fact that you could karate kick a helicopter. So rather than completely wipe the slate clean, the developers went with what worked -- the killer locomotion, the over-the-top sandbox violence, and the New York setting. Only this time, you play as a character, Sgt. James Heller, who is as jazzed to have superpowers as you are. Prototype's brooding anti-hero Alex Mercer returns as well, but he appears to be on the wrong side of the law.

Eric Neigher: Interesting. The ol' good-is-bad-is-good ploy. So, apart from Alex and his maleficent, helicopter-kicking ways, what else are you up against this time around? Did you get a chance to see any new monsters/bad guys/abilities? How about bosses? And how about additional modes of play apart from the main storyline?

Gus Mastrapa: The rock and hard place in Prototype 2 are the evil-as-all-get-out paramilitary force Blackwatch, and the killer mutants created by the Blacklight virus. As Heller, you spend your time battling both, with a few new abilities. For instance, the biobomb implants an unwitting victim with an explosive dose of Blacklight that impales every squishy being nearby with killer spikes -- and it's pretty gory. Not all of Heller's abilities are non-violent, though. When hunting, he can send sonar-style pulses into the busy city streets to help him pick out his targets.

In addition to the familiar mutants from the first game, you encounter a shambling giant called the Behemoth. It's a huge, slouching beast with a giant hammer-like fist. Did I say it was huge? The thing sweeps cars around like they're nothing. As far as diversions from the plot go, Prototype 2 is peppered with "lairs" -- underground chambers where you fight wave after wave of enemies. Here, you go toe-to-toe with deadly "hunters" and their burly "juggernaut" brothers. In the ensuing bloodbath you tear enemies limb from limb, leaving the lair littered with bloody gibs. Sounds like fun, right?

Eric Neigher: Hey, that DOES sound like fun. So is this Behemoth a sort of boss battle akin to Shadow of the Colossus, or is it just an enemy you fight throughout the game? And speaking of fighting bad guys, are the mechanics pretty similar? I remember hearing you can upgrade your abilities now, and actually change the way your character moves and fights. Did you get a chance to see/play with any of these upgrades?

Gus Mastrapa: Just how often you'll see the Behemoth is unclear. They'd better not skimp on new, big beasties though -- fighting the same three monsters gets kind of old. As far as game mechanics go, the developers are sticking closely to the strengths of the original Prototype -- which means that climbing buildings, gliding, and fighting feel much the same. A lot of these moves can be upgraded via mutations. The Bird of Prey mutation, for example, increases the length of your glide. Another one buffs that wicked arm-blade that grows out of your character's elbows. My favorite new move in Prototype 2 is one that sees Heller ripping the missile launcher off the top of an enemy vehicle and using it to rain explosive death down on his foes.

Eric Neigher: Dig it. OK, let's wrap this up. Any final thoughts? How's the physical setting looking? Any differences from Prototype? And, anything particularly eye-catching or interesting in the cut-scenes that you saw? Basically, this is where you throw in anything fun that you think I'd like to see on YouTube.

Gus Mastrapa: The setting of New York still plays a major role in the character of Prototype 2. In the aftermath of the first game, Manhattan has been designated "NYZ" and cordoned off into three independent areas. The red zone is totally overrun by the outbreak, which has transformed the metropolis into a viral jungle -- huge fleshy masses have grown all over everything. The yellow zone is slightly less deadly, and the green zone is where the citizens live; they're under Blackwatch martial law. I also saw a cut-scene where soldiers gunned down a group of protesters. It was pretty gratuitous, and didn't feel very well-handled. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2's "No Russian" level was executed with 100% more tact and emotion. But great storytelling isn't why people are going to want to spend time in this violent sandbox. The game really should be called Prototype 2: Filling the Gaping Hole Left Behind By Crackdown 2. No pressure or anything.